The best four months of my life! Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/27/2018 to 12/10/2018 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Madrid

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned a lot about myself and how much time I need alone. I also learned how to navigate a new city and use my street smarts to problem solve. I also met new people while traveling, and I learned the values and the excitement of traveling alone. It was all so worthwhile!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Madrid only has petty thievery, but overall it is very very safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Save your money for traveling on the weekends!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 300 level class
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • the other students
  • the local university
  • the travel stipend
* What could be improved?
  • the administrators at the Middlebury campus
  • the language pledge (could be made optional)
  • orientation week
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that I had known that everything was not going to be perfect but to just get through those moments and to not dwell on them.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Advanced Spanish I

Course Department:
Instructor: Carmen Carballo
Instruction Language: Spanish
Comments: Carmen was a wonderful teacher and always there to help. She made class engaging, and I really enjoyed our field trip to the Sorolla Museum
Credit Transfer Issues: No